June 2018 Summaries

Wesley Chun's blog post discusses how to send asynchronous messages in Google Hangouts Chat using the platform's bot framework, which allows for alerts and notifications without explicit user requests. While most chatbots respond synchronously to user inquiries, asynchronous messaging is crucial for notifying users about events like background job completions or server issues. The post details two methods for implementing this functionality: the HTTP-based REST API, which requires a Google service account to send messages as a bot, and incoming webhooks, which offer a simpler way to integrate custom workflows or monitoring applications without a full bot setup. Chun provides Python code snippets demonstrating both methods, encouraging developers to enhance their bot development skills by leveraging these tools for asynchronous communication in G Suite.

The Indie Games Accelerator, launched by Google Play in June 2018, is an initiative aimed at supporting indie game startups from emerging markets such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to thrive on the Android platform. These regions, which now contribute to over 40% of game installs on Google Play, are experiencing rapid smartphone adoption, creating a demand for high-quality mobile gaming experiences. The four-month program, a special edition of the Launchpad Accelerator, offers a gaming curriculum and mentorship from mobile gaming experts, with successful participants attending two all-expense-paid bootcamps at Google's Asia-Pacific office in Singapore. Participants benefit from personalized mentorship, Google Cloud Platform credits, and invitations to exclusive events.

Flutter Release Preview 1 was announced at the GMTC front-end conference in Beijing, marking a significant milestone as Flutter moves towards its 1.0 stabilization phase. The announcement comes after a successful Google I/O event, where Flutter's popularity surged, evidenced by a 50% increase in active users and a rise in community events worldwide. This release highlights Flutter's growing adoption, especially in China, where companies like Alibaba and Tencent are utilizing it for production apps. The transition from beta to release preview underscores Google's confidence in Flutter's stability and quality, focusing on bug fixes and stabilization. The platform's appeal is growing among developers who appreciate its cross-platform capabilities, with positive endorsements from those transitioning from other technologies. As Flutter approaches a stable release, there is an eagerness to see more developers explore and implement solutions using this new release, supported by a variety of training resources.

The Google Developers Agency Program, launched to connect with mobile app development agencies, has evolved into a global initiative that identifies, upskills, and promotes top software agencies worldwide. Since its inception, it has expanded to include over 225 agencies from 36 countries, offering them resources such as access to events, dedicated content, and priority support. The program introduced the "Certified Agency" status at Google I/O in 2015 to recognize excellence in Android development, setting a high standard within the industry. As of 2018, the program boasts 50 Certified agencies across 15 countries, highlighting its growth and the positive impact on the agency ecosystem.